What Trademore Feeds SA Cross Country Round 7 Preview
Where Virginia Trails, KZN
When Saturday 15 October 2022
Community South Africa National
Trademore champions will be crowned at Virginia Trails National
The Trademore Group South African Cross Country Championship returns to KwaZulu Natal and Virginia Trails for its championship deciding final round Saturday 15 October, with the odds-on favourite looking to complete another National Championship Cross Country and Enduro double.
Home province hero and multiple South African dirtbike champion Brett Swanepoel and his factory OR2 Husqvarna have one hand on the title as he arrives at Virginia Trails with a sixteen-point overall championship advantage. All Brett needs to do to clinch the title, his second historic SA Cross Country and Enduro double in three years, is to finish behind his only championship threat, Zambian OR2 rival Scott Heygate and his Brother Leader Tread KTM.
Third overall, Tork Craft CIT Kawasaki rider Mike Pentecost is all of a single championship point away from clinching a back-to-back OR1 title. He has to beat Sleepover Tork Craft CIT Honda duo Hayden Louw and Gareth Cole to take the open class. Cole has to win and Pentecost not to finish to take it, as that would take it back to a count-back of wins. All of them must however first beat reigning overall champion Bradley Cox, fresh from a stunning run in Morocco, on his Brother Leader Tread KTM, and factory Husqvarna rider Michael Docherty. As well as Kawasaki trio, Jaycee Nienaber, Tyron Beverley, and Wade Den.
Brett Swanepoel and Scott Heygate also have more than enough to keep them busy in the 350 cc OR2 class this weekend. KTM quartet, not least of all former motocross champion Kerim Fitz-Gerald’s Red Bull Machine, which still remains in the class championship hunt, Erik Merry, Juan Niebuhr and Kyle Eggar are all ready to pounce. It is however far closer in 250cc OR2…
KTM duo, Brother Leader Tread rider Matthew Wilson and Ryan Pelser are separated by all of a point, with Taki Bogiages’ Pepson Motul Kawasaki, Sleepover Tork Craft Honda lad Peter Karam also both very much in title contention. But it’s not that simple. Never ignore John Botha’s Tork Craft CIT Kawasaki, and with factory Husqvarna rider Davin Cocker and Haydn Cole on his Sleepover Tork Craft Honda both returning after being sidelined by injury, anything can happen in the quarter-litre class.
Moving on to the Seniors, Kenny Gilbert has already clinched the title on his Pepson Plastics Scottish Cables Motul Kawasaki. He should have Marco Cocci’s Yamaha, Wade Blaauw on a Sleepover Tork Craft CIT Honda, and Ockert Swart and Alain du Toit Husqvarnas for company in KZN. It’s super-close in the Masters however, where Mielies Le Roux on a KTM, Warrick van Schalkwyk’s CIT Tork Craft Kawasaki and Husqvarna men, Greg Nairn and Wayne Farmer are all still well in title contention
It’s also still tight in the junior classes, although Husqvarna rider Wian Wentzel is just two points away from clinching High School 125 title after KTM lad Ross Ramseyer retired from the last race. Also watch for Derek Karam and Nathan Westerside’s KTMs Husqvarna pair Cobus Bester and Joss Alexander’s Husqvarna there. Brandon Clarke’s Husqvarna and Bruno Niebuhr and Murray Smith’s KTMs are all still in the 85cc Junior title frame, and watch for GJ Coetzee’s Husqvarna, Jake Pretorius’ Kawasaki, Matthew Meyer on a Gas Gas and Liam Scheepers’ Husqvarna in the Interprovincial 65s.
All of which leads to the conclusion that Trademore Group South African Cross Country will crown all its new Champions at Virginia Trails on Saturday 15 October. Find more details and info at www.saxcnationals.co.za.
Issued on behalf of Trademore SA Cross Country